20 Percent of UK Adults Have Depression Anxiety

Depression anxiety has reached epidemic levels in the UK. Nearly 20% of UK adults have depression anxiety according to the Office for National Statistics.

19% of UK Adults over 16 years of age reported having depression anxiety symptoms, 21% women and 16% men, in response to the National Wellbeing survey of 40,000 UK households.  The age group with the highest rate of depression anxiety were between the ages of 50 – 54.

Why is there such a high rate of depression anxiety in the UK?

There are two main reasons why there are epidemic rates of depression anxiety in the UK Diet and Stress.

The UK Diet is a Recipe for Depression Anxiety

The UK diet, similar to the Standard American or Western Diet, is high in inflammatory foods which cause depression anxiety. Processed foods, packaged foods, meat, sugar, junk food, chips and soda, foods deep fried in inflammatory gluten and vegetable oils.

Learn More:
How Gluten Causes Depression Anxiety
How Sugar Causes Depression Anxiety
How GMO Food Causes Depression Anxiety

Depression anxiety is an immuno-inflammatory condition.  A diet high in inflammatory foods, which causes inflammation and damage to the gut, creates inflammation throughout the body and brain, leading to depression anxiety and many other related conditions.

Learn More:
What Causes Depression Anxiety
Gut Brain Connection and Depression Anxiety

The average individual in the UK consumes a very low per capita 22 grams of fish per day, compared to the rest of Europe, especially Europeans consuming a Mediterranean Diet.

Certain varieties of fish, oily fish such as salmon, herring and sardines, contain anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fats which prevent depression anxiety and other immuno-inflammatory related health conditions such asthma, alzheimers, arthritis, obesity, heart disease and more.

Constant Economic Stress in the UK Causes Depression Anxiety

The other reason why there is such a high percentage of people in the UK with depression anxiety is due to economic stress.

The economic crisis starting in 2008, and the UK governments’ response of austerity, has left many individuals in the UK living in a perpetual state of stress.  Job cuts, cuts to health care, education, and pensions, have left many in the UK worrying about their future.

There were 500,000 new cases of depression in England between 2008 and 2011. In the survey, 23% of individuals not in paid work reported depression anxiety, compared to 15% of UK individuals in paid work.

It is no wonder that the age group closest to retirement, ages 50 – 54, have the highest rates of depression anxiety.

Chronic psychological stress, from economic or financial worries, causes depression anxiety by constantly releasing the stress hormone cortisol, which stops the normal digestive process resulting in an immuno-inflammatory response leading to depression anxiety.

Learn More:
How Stress Causes Depression Anxiety
How Economic Recession Causes Mental Depression

However, it is interesting to note that Iceland, the cold dark country which went through it’s own economic crisis, has Europe’s highest per capita consumption of fish (nearly 200 lbs.) and and one of the lowest rate of depression anxiety.  Iceland is one of the happiest places on earth.

It appears then, that the skyrocketing rates of depression anxiety in the UK is due to a combination of poor diet, combined with chronic psychological stress from austerity cuts.

Either of the factors, poor diet or chronic stress, is enough to cause depression anxiety by themselves.  Combine them together and you get a national epidemic of depression anxiety.

If you have depression anxiety, learn more about our natural depression anxiety alternative, and get started with our step by step Guide to Depression Anxiety Recovery.

More Information:
Depression Anxiety Diet
Depression Anxiety Recipes
Depression Anxiety Exercises
Best Supplements for Depression Anxiety

The post 20 Percent of UK Adults Have Depression Anxiety appeared first on Depression Anxiety Diet.